Squier CV50 Precision: I love this beast... with a preamp?

[mcnach]

Those Squier CV series are really nice, all of them. I had both Precisions, the 60s and the 50s. I sold the 60s but I still have the 50s, which I like better.

It has a chunky neck that feels great to me, it's beautiful (butterscotch one, tinted maple fingerboard)... and it sounds huge. I used it for rehearsal a couple of weeks ago after many months of neglect and I was amazed at the bottom end of this thing. I have it strung with fairly new Fender flats and low action and it's delicious. But I felt that the midrange wasn't were I wanted it to be. I'm very much a bridge pickup type of guy and although I love the "girth" of this bass I felt if it only had a a more controllable midrange...
Yes, I used my amp to bring it to where I wanted... using veyr differnt settings from what I use with my Stingray and Jazz basses. But then I thought... hmmm, maybe I can put a midsweep module from John East here instead of a tone control. The stacked knob will detract from it's "vintage" look, and I will have to route a battery compartmemt on the back... but... the result could be immense!!! Or a total failure.

I think I will try.

[Schnozzalee]

How did you find them in relation to the Sue Ryders??

[mcnach]

[quote name='Schnozzalee' timestamp='1351960672' post='1857324']
How did you find them in relation to the Sue Ryders??
[/quote]

The CV60 is a seriously good bass, regardless of the logo. The one I had, at any rate. Finish, sound, everything. Much better than the Sue Ryders. The SR ones... are ok. For the price they were great value, but nothing extraordinary. They work, I still have a couple... but teh Squier was a lot better. The reason I sold the Squier and kept the SR is that I'm not really into Precisions much... so it made sense to me to sell the one that would give me some money (I wanted to get a G&L L2000 at the time), as nobody would give me much for the Ryders.... and when I want a P bass I am happy to use the Ryders.

Now the CV50... Quality wise, as good as the CV60. But different neck, etc, and of course the pickup. I much prefer the sound of the original single coil Precision bass pickup. It has less of that characteristic P-bass midrange bump, but I find it more pleasing. The midrange bump of a Precision is not exactly where I like it best... hence my feeling that a CV50 with a midsweep might help me tune into the sound I hear in my head.

Or maybe I will discover I'm just looking for a Stingray sound in the CV50... it would not be the first time

[buff]

I love my 50's CV as well, but found it lacking a little. In the end i put two bartolini pick ups meant for a rickenbacker. Will at some point get another one.

[mcnach]

[quote name='buff' timestamp='1351991033' post='1857714']
I love my 50's CV as well, but found it lacking a little. In the end i put two bartolini pick ups meant for a rickenbacker. Will at some point get another one.
[/quote]

At one point I thought of putting an MM pickup on mine. But then I thought I had already enough Stingray-territory basses

[JohnFitzgerald]

The CV series does manage to capture most of what I would look for in a bass.

Having said that, the Stingray type bass is rather calling me.

Probably a Sterling Sub ?

[mcnach]

I read great things about the Sterling SUB but haven't managed to try one yet... For me the Jazz-like neck is a bit of a negative point. ONly a bit, I have a couple of Jazz basses and it's fine... but I do prefer something a bit more meaty, neck-wise.
If you consider Stingray-type basses, don't ignore the original US SUB ones. There was a beautiful all black one here a few days ago for £320, and you often see them for £350 or thereabouts, and that's a superb bass.

Or get a CV50, and add a Stingray pickup to it with a MMSR preamp

[buff]

Heres mine, ive still to make a pick up surround for the back pick up to cover the mounts.

Edited November 5, 2012 by buff

[uncle psychosis]

Stop giving me gas!

(although the neck on that one was *slightly* too chunky for me...

...doesn't mean I'm not lusting after one though )

[buff]

I think ive just got used to the neck on mine, and dont find it any wider than a jazz neck in use.

[StephenFerguson]

[quote name='JohnFitzgerald' timestamp='1352022049' post='1857801']
The CV series does manage to capture most of what I would look for in a bass.

Having said that, the Stingray type bass is rather calling me.

Probably a Sterling Sub ?
[/quote]

Dont do, the original SUB series is far superior and CAN be found for about £50 more, same spec and build of the american MM's just with less finish and therefor less man hours spent, so they could sell it for cheaper. In the end this stoped being cost effective and the range was discontinued and the inferior sterling came about. IMHO the matt black, plain original sub looks bad ass aswell!

Edited November 5, 2012 by StephenFerguson

[mcnach]

[quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1352112921' post='1858751']
Stop giving me gas!

(although the neck on that one was *slightly* too chunky for me...

...doesn't mean I'm not lusting after one though )
[/quote]

It is the chunkiest neck I own right now, and it does feel a bit... hefty. But you soon get used to it, unless you are a Jazz-only type of person.
It has a very huge, unique and lovely kind of sound.

[mcnach]

[quote name='StephenFerguson' timestamp='1352123758' post='1858964']
Dont do, the original SUB series is far superior and CAN be found for about £50 more, same spec and build of the american MM's just with less finish and therefor less man hours spent, so they could sell it for cheaper. In the end this stoped being cost effective and the range was discontinued and the inferior sterling came about. IMHO the matt black, plain original sub looks bad ass aswell!
[/quote]

I agree. The original SUBs are fantastic.
If I hadn't bought a Stingray already when I got my SUB, I'm not sure I would have bought a Stingray at all. Probably another SUB and use the change to replace my amp or something like that.